Invisible Good

April 10, 2006

Lucky charms. Crystals, fetishes, amulets, gris-gris and more held magical appeal for spiritually hungry and mystically captivated believers for thousands of years. The transference of power to an inanimate object always puzzled me. While I fail to understand how anything man-made or even organic or herbal holds power beyond that of a human, I remain curious as to why people choose to relinquish their power to something outside of themselves.

In my early twenties, while still at University, I dated a Psychologist. His confidence (read “ego”) intrigued me and he thought everything about himself was perfect. One day, after recounting his attributes out loud, he said, “I’m so smart that my brain is filled up. If I absorb one more fact, my head is going to explode!” In context and given comedic timing, I thought this was hilarious. He went on to say that since everything about him exuded perfection, the fact that he was prematurely balding must represent some evolutionary advantage or genetic superiority.

When I look at both of these viewpoints – one where a person rescinds power and one where a person claims his power over everything, including evolution – I wonder where the invisible good lies.

When we experience a struggle or tough situation, do we forfeit our power or do we distort our own importance and significance so much that we can no longer recognize the truth?

Challenges bring such opportunity for growth. We can choose to see the hidden or invisible blessings they hold which bring us to higher understanding, or we can choose to see them as insurmountable obstacles.

We cannot orchestrate all the events in our lives, no matter how much 'control' we believe we hold. For example, the chain of events that led me to Phoenix still mystifies me. If God told me that I’d have to go through this set of events and circumstances to meet people I know today, I wouldn’t believe it.

Think of what you went through to get where you are right now. What little steps and coincidences did you experience that turned your life around? What had to happen to bring you to your greater good? At the time, you probably didn’t see it as a blessing, yet as you delight in the present moment, the challenges proved necessary to get you here.

Step by step, we walk into our greater good through the onslaught of blessings subtly, subliminally haranguing us to give up the appearance of a challenge to see the beautiful geode of abundant good inside.

Surely, only good can come of this situation – remind yourself of this and even if you’re prematurely balding, you’ll recognize the advantages it holds for you!